


The Perfect Gift

by bluebell08



Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Christmas, Christmas Fluff, F/M, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-24
Updated: 2020-12-24
Packaged: 2021-03-11 03:20:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,598
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28288350
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bluebell08/pseuds/bluebell08
Summary: You save up to buy that perfect Christmas gift for your husband, Madara. You set off to buy it, but then things don't always go the way you expect them to be. As you face your husband on Christmas day, Madara reminds you what a perfect gift truly consists of. [One-shot]
Relationships: Uchiha Madara/Reader
Kudos: 25





	The Perfect Gift

**Author's Note:**

> Part two of my Christmas gift for the writing community I’m part of – @konoblog-simps ! I wanted to do another group favorite other than Kakashi, and Madara is one. To be honest, writing for Madara had been very challenging. But with the help of my friends, it came out nice! Thank you to my lovely beta-readers @tachibrii @madaras-housewife and @titanialev . And for the insights on Madara, as well! Love you guys.
> 
> Warnings: Mentions of stroke, hospitalization

A bell-like sound goes off, and you hurriedly run to the oven. Wearing your mittens, you carefully open the door and gingerly take out the tray of freshly-baked cranberry and chocolate chip cookies. Placing them on the counter, you transfer the cookies onto a cooling rack, the delicious smell of the pastries filling the kitchen.

Opening the cupboard, you take out the empty boxes and start assembling them. You are in quite a rush to finish packing the cookies this afternoon. You have received quite a number of orders of your special cookies -- which is quite famous in your circle of friends -- and have to deliver all of them at the end of the day. After assembling the last of the boxes, you dash towards the drawer and take out the roll of ribbon.

But there is also another reason why you are hurrying to have them all delivered today. Apart from the income you have recently received from your job, you have been accepting orders of pastries for extra money to save up for your husband's Christmas present. The man demands nothing less, and as the loving wife that you are, believe that too. You have currently saved up enough for it, and with the income that you'll be receiving from this last batch, you'll finally be a step closer in getting that special gift you believe he deserves to have. And it's exactly 2 days before Christmas, and time is running fast. You need to buy that gift right away.

The laughter of your two little girls echo in the living room as they run around, wielding the toys your husband bought for them just a week ago. You smile and chuckle at the memory. Coming home from a business trip, Madara would always make it a point to bring home gifts for his two daughters. You always thought he is a little bit indulgent to them, but that's always been the way Madara is: albeit strict, he is a doting father, and a devoted husband to you, as well.

And as if on cue, the front door suddenly opens, and a tall, long-haired man in suit and tie appears in the living room. "Daddy!" Your two children drop the toys to the ground and dash towards their father. "Welcome home!"

He picks both of them up with his strong arms, and the two children cling to their father as he peppers their faces with kisses. "How are my two little princesses?" he asks, and he sets them both on their feet. The two girls giggle and recount to him their day, telling him of the imaginary adventures they had as they played with the toys he has recently bought them. "We love them so much, Daddy," they gush, and the youngest picks up the stuffed animal and hugs it tightly. Touched, Madara laughs and places his hand on your youngest's cheek. "Of course, anything for my two sweet princesses. But I bet you'll love my Christmas presents even more."

From where you are, you can see the faces of the two girls light up as you hear their squeals of delight. You smile at the sight, and turn away to place the cookies inside the boxes. You are too preoccupied with the task that you do not notice someone entering the kitchen, and when you finally do, you find two strong arms wrapping themselves around your waist.

"Welcome home, darling," you greet him as he places a kiss on your cheek. "How was your day at work?" He eyes the cookies as you continue placing them in the boxes you've prepared. "It was okay," he replies, "Are those the ones The Miyazakis ordered from you?"

"Yes," you nod as you close the lid of the last box of cookies. "I'm nearly done and I need to take them to their house today. I'll be quick and will be back before dusk." You reach for the ribbon and wrap it around each box. As soon as you are finished, you gather the boxes in a large basket, and after cleaning up the mess in the kitchen, soon head out towards the Miyazaki residence.

\-------

The Miyazakis loved the baked goods. They thank you for delivering them, and in their joy and gratitude, insist that you bring home an expensive bottle of champagne for you and Madara to enjoy. As you sit in the back of a taxi on the way home, you smile to yourself, feeling very happy. Not only did you satisfy your customers, but you’re also very near in reaching your quota for Madara’s Christmas present. And tomorrow, as you receive the final payment for your baked goods, you will finally be able to buy your gift for him. At the thought of this, you remember you have somewhere else to be so before heading home, you ask the taxi driver to drop you off at the shops near the town square.

The taxi cab pulls over beside a sidewalk fronted by a line of shops. After paying the fare, you get off the car and walk towards the shop in front of you. Stopping in front of the large storefront window, your face instantly glows as you stare at the item before you. Sitting on top of a velvet cushion just behind the glass was an elegant, luxury watch. The case is platinum with a sapphire-crystal case at the back, and the strap is made of alligator skin colored in shiny navy blue. The crystal is blue-sapphire with a beautiful astronomical design, illustrating the exact configuration of the nocturnal sky in the northern hemisphere and showing the apparent movement of the stars and the phases and orbit of the moon. For weeks, you have been eyeing that watch every time you pass by the store during your errands. You believe it’s the perfect gift for your husband, and you can already imagine how it would look perfect strapped on his wrist. A superior watch for a superior man; nothing less for a man of his stature. You are so busy admiring the watch before you when you don’t notice someone approaching you. “Y/N, is that you?” 

The voice breaks you from your reverie, and you look up to see the warm face of an old woman you are familiar with. “Mrs. Fujiwara!” You exclaim, smiling at her warmly. “How nice to see you here.” Mrs. Fujiwara smiles back, “It’s nice to see you also. How are you and Madara? How are the kids?” Your heart warms even more as you fill in your older friend about your family. Mrs. Fujiwara is your neighbor and a dear friend of the family, and you have considered her more than so. In the early years of parenthood when you needed someone to watch over your children as you went to work, Mrs. Fujiwara willingly filled in the role, looking after the two girls as if they were her very own grandchildren. You inquire about her husband, and she responds that he’s doing well, so much that he lately disregards the doctor’s advice and overindulges himself in his favorite food.

Mrs. Fujiwara chuckles and turns to look at the luxury watch behind the glass. “I saw you admiring it. Is it for Madara?” 

You nod at her, feeling excited. “Yes, I’ve saved up so much for it. I want to give him the best gift this Christmas. I’m planning to have it reserved tonight so I can buy it tomorrow when I receive the rest of the payment from my sales.”

“That’s really lovely, dear. I think it would look really good on him,” Mrs. Fujiwara smiles, and continues, “Well, I shouldn’t stall you anymore. It was nice catching up with you, Y/N. Merry Christmas!”

“Merry Christmas!” You smile and wave back, and as soon as Mrs. Fujiwara walks away, you proceed to enter the store. As soon as you are finished reserving the watch, you leave the store and hail a cab to take you home.

Later that evening as you were preparing for bed, you feel Madara’s arms once again wrapped around your waist. “Mr. Miyazaki called me just now,” he murmurs in your ear as he buries his face in your hair, “just to tell me that they loved the pastries you made. I’m very proud of you, darling.” You smile at the compliment, and he buries his face deeper in your hair.

He lowers his head slowly and brings it to your shoulders. “I’ve also already bought the perfect gift for you,” he murmurs against your skin as he places a light kiss on your bare shoulder. “I hope you’ll love it.”

You smile even more warmly, and you move in his embrace to face him, “I’m very certain I’ll love it, darling. Anything from you, I’ll treasure it dearly.” You cup his face with both hands, and you stare lovingly in his eyes. “Actually,” you lean in and murmur in his cheek, “I’ve also already picked out my gift for you.” You proceed to kiss his cheek, slowly making your way to his lips. “I hope you’ll love it, as well.”

“Mmhmm,” he hums as your lips finally reach his, and he reciprocates, his hold getting tighter around you. As his lips move against yours, you smile at the thought of the gift, feeling confident that he surely will.

\-------

The next day, after completing all the chores you needed to finish, you set out to buy the gift. The remaining payment has already been deposited to your account, and you let out a sigh of relief and excitement. Finally, you’ll be able to buy that gift, and just in time for Christmas, as well. You ask the taxi driver to pull over in front of the shops, and you step out and walk towards the watch store.

As you approach near the store, you see a familiar figure walking towards you. You recognize them as Mrs. Fujiwara, and you instantly wave and smile at them. However, your smile slightly falters as you notice the distraught expression on her face. Immediately, you hurry towards her. 

“Mrs. Fujiwara,” you speak softly yet urgently, worry creasing your forehead, “is something wrong?” Mrs. Fujiwara’s glassy eyes drift from an invisible goal before her towards your worried ones, and her expression becomes even more desperate.

“My husband,” she chokes, trying to stifle a sob, “he had a stroke…”

You cover your mouth with your hand, pity and worry taking over you. “How is he right now? Where is he?” Mrs. Fujiwara shakes her head, and you desperately hope he is alright. “He is currently at the hospital now,” your older friend whispers, tears already forming in her eyes. “The doctors said he would need to undergo surgery, but how can we even afford that? Our only son already has enough on his plate, we don’t want to burden him even more…” She trails off, wiping a tear now rolling down her cheek. She continues, “I left him for a while in the hospital with my son, and now I’m going around asking for help from friends. I-I’ve been able to collect only so much, but I-I know it’s n-not enough…”

Your heart tugs painfully as you watch Mrs. Fujiwara finally unable to hold back her tears. You want to help her -- this kind lady who has unselfishly helped your family countless times, whom you and Madara already consider as  _ family _ \-- and to ease her suffering in any kind of way that you can. But you know that words alone won’t comfort her now, and no matter how much you can try to reassure her, it is not something that her family needs right now. A thought suddenly crosses your mind, and you feel yourself shift your feet uncomfortably upon thinking of it. To give in to that thought would mean to forego all your plans, and your heart aches at the thought of seeing a disappointed look on your husband’s face.

But here before you is someone dear to you who is in need, whose husband’s life is hanging on a thread. Somebody who had willingly and unselfishly volunteered to make sure your young children were looked after and protected as you and your husband had to fulfill your obligations at work. And at your very core, you have always believed in helping make the world a better place, and this includes helping people especially when they need it the most. A trait that you can never change about yourself, a proof of your kindness which also made Madara fell for you.

Slowly and instinctively, you feel your hand pull your checkbook out of your bag. “Here, please accept this,” you offer to her after you have scribbled on a blank cheque and ripped it off the checkbook. You hold the piece of paper with both of your hands, your head slightly bowed, waiting for her to take it. “I know it’s not much, but I hope it can help…” Mrs. Fujiwara stares at the piece of paper on your hands, and lifts her head to look at you. “My dear, but, isn’t that…?”

“Y-yes,” you confirm, your head still bowed down, “I-I was able to save this much. Please accept it, Mrs. Fujiwara.”

“But, how about your gift to Madara…” she trails off, her hand on her chest. “I simply can’t, Y/N. You worked so hard to save up to buy Madara’s present. I can’t just take that from you.”

You raise your head a little, meeting her gaze. You smile at her warmly and reassuringly, resolve already taking hold of your heart. “That’s fine, Mrs. Fujiwara. I can just get another present for my husband. I’m sure I can find one here. But right now, you and your husband need this. Please, I insist,” and you hold out your hands even further as you bow your head again, your simple action imploring her to take it.

This time, Mrs. Fujiwara breaks into sobs, unable to control her emotions anymore. With trembling hands, she takes both of your hands in her own, her gratitude and relief showing clearly with the way she grips them. “I c-can’t thank you well enough,” she sobs, her eyes looking into yours with such overwhelming joy. “Really, Y/N. Thank you very, very, very much…” As soon as she releases both of your hands and takes the check from you, she pulls you into a grateful hug. You hug her back, also happy to have helped her. But somewhere in the back of your mind and in the corners of your heart, you worry how you can possibly get a gift for your husband now that Christmas is only a day away.

\-------

The rest of the day has been very busy for you as you make preparations for Christmas dinner later in the evening. Running errands here and there, you barely have time to think about what alternative gift you can buy for your husband. And as soon as you arrive home, you have been so preoccupied with preparing the meals that the thought is just pushed in the back of your head. 

Christmas Eve dinner has been splendid, and your family love the meals that you have prepared, earning praises from both your husband and daughters. As soon as dinner is finished and you are clearing the table, your two daughters ask your husband excitedly if they can stay up late and open their presents at midnight.

“Not tonight,” Madara tells them, but you swear you notice a hint of nervousness in his tone. “You can open them in the morning. Now off to bed, my sweet princesses.” And he ushers them to their room as you continue to clean up the dishes.

As soon as you are finished in the kitchen and have cleaned yourself up, ready to retire for bed, Madara approaches you, holding an elegantly wrapped box in his hand. You feel yourself freeze momentarily on the spot -- remembering the gift that you have failed to get for him -- as he stops in front of you, holding out the present towards you.

“I couldn’t wait ‘til Christmas morning. Merry Christmas, darling.” Gingerly, you take the box from his hands, cradling them gently in your own. You stare at the present on your hands, and slowly tore off the wrapper, revealing a rich velvet box. You let your fingers linger for a while on top of it, and carefully, you open it.

Inside the box is a beautiful chevron diamond necklace, with brilliant round diamonds arranged in a prong setting. You let out a soft gasp, lifting your eyes from the jewelry and on Madara’s face. He stares at you expectantly, his gaze intent, and there is a hint of hopefulness in his eyes as if waiting for a favorable response from you.

“Well, do you like it?” 

Your feel your throat constricts as your eyes start to water, and you can only nod at him in affirmation. You swear you heard a sigh of relief come from him -- although barely audible -- and he takes a step closer to you. Taking the jewelry from the box, he moves to your back, and after sweeping your hair behind the shoulder, carefully puts the necklace around your neck.

You glance down at the jewelry resting just above your chest, your fingers caressing the small round diamonds. You feel too overwhelmed by the sheer beauty of it, by the thoughtful gift. You imagine Madara visiting every store, going through a vast collection of jewelries, meticulously looking for that perfect necklace as he takes into thought your preference. His fingers linger on your skin for a while, and you finally manage to speak, voicing your sentiments as you whisper, “I love it…”

He brings his face to your hair, and he leans down to speak to your ear. “Actually, darling. I have another gift for you.”  _ Two presents?  _ You marvel internally. Once again, you feel his strong arms wrap around you, and he tells you that he has booked the whole family that vacation you’ve always been dreaming about.

This time, you can’t control it anymore. Tears roll down your cheeks and turn into sobs, and you feel your whole body shaking in his hold. He turns you around, his worried eyes searching your face. “Is there something wrong, darling?” For a moment, you catch again a hint of nervousness in his tone, and you worry that he might have thought you did not like the gifts.

“No dear, I love them,” you start before he can say anything about it. “I think they’re perfect.”

“Then why are you crying?” His hold around you becomes tighter, and you can feel the worry in his voice becoming more evident.

“Oh, dear…” You break into another sob, and you stifle the next one as you struggle to explain. “I am so sorry… Your present, I…” You break down again, and he waits patiently until you have regained yourself a little.

“You see, I...” you explain to him, “I was supposed to buy your present earlier today. I-I found this really beautiful watch and f-for weeks, I’ve been saving up to get it for you for Christmas. But t-then, as I was about to get it this morning, I s-suddenly ran into Mrs. Fujiwara and found out h-her husband had a stroke. S-she said he has to undergo surgery, and they didn’t have any money to pay for it, so I…” You lower your head and look down, avoiding his eyes. “I-I gave them the money I earned from my sales, the m-money that I was supposed to use to buy your present.” Your voice trails off in a whisper, and you find your throat constricting again. “I am  _ so _ sorry, Madara. I wanted to g-get you another present, but with all of the preparations, I w-wasn’t able to. I-I ruined your Christmas. I’m a horrible wife.”

Tears uncontrollably make their way down your cheeks once more, and you feel too embarrassed to even look at him. As you move to break away from his embrace, suddenly you feel his arms tighten around you, not letting you go. “Y/N,” Madara whispers, “look at me.” You brace yourself for the words that will soon come after, and hesitantly, you lift your eyes to meet his. 

Bewilderment takes over you as you are taken aback by the intense yet soft, loving gaze your husband has on you. Slowly, he brings you closer to him, burying you in his chest. “That is fine. I am not bothered by it.”

“But I wanted to give you a perfect gift,” you sob into his chest, your hands gripping his shirt tightly. 

Slowly, he pulls away from the tight embrace and with his one hand, places it on your cheek and lifts up your face to look at his. “But I have already received the perfect gift,” he whispers, lightly wiping the tear on your face. “I have you and the two girls. You are my world. What more can I possibly ask for?”

An immense warmth takes over your heart as you look at the man with love and gratitude. You wonder to yourself what good you must have done to deserve this man. He pulls you into another embrace, placing a sweet kiss on your forehead. “I have everything I need right here,” he murmurs against your skin. As you bury yourself deeper in his embrace, you smile to yourself, contentment and happiness filling your heart.


End file.
